DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

The Federal Aviation Administration finally has a Senate-confirmed leader.

America’s secretary of transportation hopes last year’s summer travel woes won’t repeat this year, as he pushes for the government and airlines to learn from their mistakes. On Tuesday, Pete Buttigieg talked about easing those problems we see when flying which includes more rights for travelers.

A Thursday afternoon crash in St. Johns County has closed multiple northbound lanes of Interstate 95 near State Road 207.

Authorities in Washington state say a passenger ferry carrying hundreds of people has run aground near Bainbridge Island west of Seattle, but there are no reports of injuries or contamination.

Nearly 50 businesses and nonprofits including rideshare companies Uber and Lyft and industrial giant 3M are pledging millions of dollars in initiatives to stem a crisis in road fatalities under a new federal effort.

Georgia officials have signed off on a plan to raise Savannah’s towering suspension bridge to make room for larger cargo ships to reach the city’s busy seaport.

All northbound lanes of Interstate 295 near Monument Road were closed after a wrong-way dump truck crash Friday afternoon.

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A disabled semi-truck closed all northbound lanes Sunday evening on the I-295 near the Dames Point Bridge.

There’s a new tool for flyers.

Multiple lanes were blocked Monday afternoon following a crash on I-95 near Airport Road and Duval Road.

At least three lanes on the Buckman Bridge were blocked Sunday evening following a crash.

The federal government has a new warning to states seeking billions of dollars from President Joe Biden’s infrastructure law to widen roads: You must protect the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists or risk losing the money.

It’s the last week of 2021, and the Florida Highway Patrol and Department of Transportation are doing all they can to ensure drivers are careful on the roadways as they travel to their holiday destinations.

It’s that time of year again -- are you ready?

The number of people dying in car crashes is on the rise, according to new data released by the

A busy Southside intersection is getting a facelift.

In an exclusive interview with News4Jax, new Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg weighed in on a number of topics, including the changes planned for the Skyway in Downtown Jacksonville.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The state Department of Transportation launched a program this week to improve 141 school zones in Northeast Florida. This project is part of a statewide effort to improve school zone safety with new markings that are easy to see. What is the hope that these new improvements do for school zones in our area? “We’re hopeful these school zone improvements will enhance safety and promote a safer environment near schools,” Roberts said. “Let motorists know, ‘Hey, there’s a school zone up here.’ You need to limit your speed and definitely be cautious because you know when you’re in school zones.

Department of Transportation to take action to clean Buckman Bridge as complaints come inPublished: August 25, 2020, 6:55 pmDrivers say they want a cleaner bridge, not only because it looks nicer, but because it’s safer

After all, inconsistencies between federal guidelines and individual airlines’ policies have been the source of frustration and confusion for would-be travelers since the early days of the coronavirus outbreak. Travelers across the country have been caught off-guard by airline policies. That was the case for Danny Bush, who boarded an American Airlines flight in June in hopes that she’d fly in a safe and healthy environment. While some airlines require travelers to wear masks and are spacing people out by keeping middle seats clear, Consumer Reports has found that the COVID-19 safety precautions in place vary from airline to airline. “In many cases the policies conflict,” Consumer Reports Aviation Expert Bill McGee said.

Nearly four months after Floridas Department of Transportation set up a checkpoint on Interstate 95 at the Florida-Georgia border to screen for people coming from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, the state has quietly closed the checkpoint. About five weeks ago, FDOH closed a similar checkpoint east of the Florida-Alabama border as part of Gov. Ron DeSantis starting the second phase of a COVID-19 economic recovery plan, but a similar checkpoint on I-95 remained open even after Floridas growth of coronavirus cases exceeded those in the greater New York area. Cards were handed out with information about what people should do if they exhibit fever, cough, or shortness-of-breath symptoms attributed to COVID-19 while in isolation. The state didnt say when the checkpoint at I-95 closed, but when News4Jax noticed it was no longer there on Monday, FDOH confirmed the checkpoint had been discontinued.

Seattle Police, at right, look on as Department of Transportation workers remove barricades at the intersection of 10th Ave. and Pine St., Tuesday, June 30, 2020 at the CHOP (Capitol Hill Occupied Protest) zone in Seattle. Protesters quickly moved couches, trash cans and other materials in to replace the cleared barricades. The area has been occupied by protesters since Seattle Police pulled back from their East Precinct building following violent clashes with demonstrators earlier in the month. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Seattle Police, at right, look on as Department of Transportation workers remove barricades at the intersection of 10th Ave. and Pine St., Tuesday, June 30, 2020 at the CHOP (Capitol Hill Occupied Protest) zone in Seattle. The area has been occupied by protesters since Seattle Police pulled back from their East Precinct building following violent clashes with demonstrators earlier in the month. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)SEATTLE Seattle police converged on the city's occupied protest zone early Wednesday after Mayor Jenny Durkan issued an executive order for protesters to vacate the area. Since demonstrations at the East Precinct area began on June 8th, two teenagers have been killed and three people have been seriously wounded in late-night shootings," Seattle police said on Twitter. Cement barricades that remained in front of the Seattle Police Department East Precinct building Tuesday were fortified by protesters with chunks of concrete and tarps.

Seattle Police, at right, look on as Department of Transportation workers remove barricades at the intersection of 10th Ave. and Pine St., Tuesday, June 30, 2020 at the CHOP (Capitol Hill Occupied Protest) zone in Seattle. The area has been occupied by protesters since Seattle Police pulled back from their East Precinct building following violent clashes with demonstrators earlier in the month. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)SEATTLE – Seattle city crews used heavy equipment Tuesday to remove makeshift barriers around the city’s “occupied” protest zone following two fatal shootings in the area. “So far, you know, everything is peaceful this morning, so that’s a good sign,” Diaz told The Seattle Times. Sawant said she had not organized the march and wasn't taking Durkan's words personally, The Seattle Times reported.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Northbound Interstate-95 near the Pecan Park Road exit was backed up for hours Saturday evening after a multi-vehicle crash blocked all lanes just after 6 p.m.From the view of Department of Transportation cameras, lanes reopened to traffic at around 6:45 p.m., and traffic was inching slowly through the area by 8 p.m.Florida 511 tweeted updated information about the crash saying the right lanes was still blocked as of 7:20 p.m.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Eight firefighters were injured Thursday when an explosion occurred while they were battling a large fire aboard a cargo ship at Blount Island, the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department said. According to JFRD, a ninth firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion. Above is a slideshow of photos of the ship from the Sky 4 helicopter, News4Jax, Department of Transportation cameras and JFRD.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Rail crossings throughout Florida, including one west of Jupiter where three members of a family were recently killed by an Amtrak train, will be upgraded for safety under a directive issued by the state transportation secretary. Department of Transportation Secretary Kevin Thibault on Thursday ordered “unprecedented” rail safety measures for more than 4,000 crossings, with an expected cost of almost $60 million to complete by March 2022. “One fatality on our rail crossings is one too many, and I am committed to doing everything I can as secretary to prevent additional tragedies from occurring across our state,” Thibault said. But Sen. Debbie Mayfield, a Rockledge Republican who has fought plans to extend the Brightline passenger-rail service north from South Florida, said more safety measures are needed. In addition to the Amtrak crash, an Associated Press report recently said the Brightline rail service, which is being rebranded Virgin Trains USA, had the worst per-mile death rate of the nation’s 821 railroads.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - It's the time of year when many families are planning holiday travel, and if yours includes a flight with kids, listen up. Consumer Reports says there are new rules and added fees that could quickly take the jolly out of your holiday air travel. And the fees dont stop there: If you actually want to sit next to your kids, you might have to pay more for that, too. All Consumer Reports material Copyright 2019 Consumer Reports, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Consumer Reports is a not-for-profit organization which accepts no advertising.

Scott Olson/Getty Images(CNN) - The Dow dropped some 200 points Friday, following a sharp drop in Boeing's shares. Boeing shares traded down 3.3%. The Dow dropped nearly 200 points, or 0.7%, while the broader S&P 500 was down 0.6%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite is 1.2% lower. The-CNN-Wire & 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company.

NOAA via Getty ImagesJACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Over the past week, we've gotten loads of questions about Hurricane Dorian and how it could impact those who live in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia. We've collected the most frequently asked questions, and we'll provide answers inside this story. The city of Jacksonville does not offer sandbags, so it's recommended that residents visit a hardware store. In coastal areas, we expect wind speeds between 40 to 50 mph and 6 to 8 inches of rainfall. You can ask it using 4 Your Info, the newest way for you to connect with News4Jax.

ORANGE PARK, Fla. - A 20-year-old Green Cove Springs woman critically injured in a crash while merging onto I-295 in June is making significant progress in her recovery, News4Jax has learned. Video shows Manges working with physical therapists at a rehabilitation facility in Atlanta, where she's making considerable progress learning to walk again. News4Jax was told Manges will be released to go home on Friday. RELATED: Clay County Sheriff's Office names most dangerous intersections | I-TEAM: Where's the most dangerous intersection in Jacksonville? But Manges' mother told News4Jax the repairs aren't coming quickly enough.

A semi-truck driver escaped without any injuries early Friday morning after his truck crashed into Pellicer Creek, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Click above to watch live Flordia Department of Transportation camera in the areaThis happened near the St. Johns/Flagler County line at 4:30 a.m. and the rig went almost completely underwater. At 10:45 a.m., one northbound lane remains blocked as crews work to remove the wreckage from the creek. Copyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida's top transportation official is confident that, despite a rocky start, the contractor in charge of the SunPass toll system is getting things back on the right track. UNCUT: Interview with FDOT Secretary Kevin ThibaultEven though it was hired by FDOT to upgrade SunPass for hundreds of millions of dollars, Conduents rollout of the revamped system has been marked by controversy and criticism since last year. The toll system was swamped out of the gate, causing parts of it to shut down and fueling complaints about billing errors, unreliability and poor customer service. On Friday, he indicated the company has made progress getting billing issues and customer service delays under control and in line with its contractual obligations. For now, Thibault encouraged Floridians to continue using SunPass and working with the state to resolve any issues they might have encountered.